Concession tray

• US 7,341,005 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2004
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David I. Baggott
• Original Assignee: David I. Baggott
• Inventors: Baggott, David I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen; Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US10/754,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20050028707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 108/42, 108/44, 108/47, 108/152, 108/26, 297/163, 297/146, 297/135, 297/167, 297/173, 297/152, 297/248
• US Class Current: 108/42
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 5/00 Suspended or hinged panels forming a table; Wall tables bed tables A47B23/00; adapted for use in vehicles A47B31/06; in combination with other furniture A47B83/00; arm-rest tables for chairs A47C

Abstract

A concession tray for selectively supporting concessions in a substantially horizontal position relative to a stadium seat, thereby facilitating the comfort and enjoyment of a patron at a performance or event. A retaining flange is coupled to the concession tray and easily integrated with an existing stadium seat such that the concession tray may retain concessions in a fixed relationship with a stadium seat without requiring substantial modification of the stadium seat, if any. The concession tray may also incorporate advertising thereon to generate revenue for a specific performance venue.

Claims

1. A concession tray apparatus comprising:

a first seat assembly;

a second seat assembly, wherein said first and second seat assemblies face the same direction, and wherein said first seat assembly is located in front of said second seat assembly;

a supporting tray portion configured to selectively support concessions of a user of said second seat assembly, wherein said supporting tray portion comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface configured to receive one or more concessions when said tray is in a horizontal use position; and

a transitional mechanism coupled to said first seat assembly and to said supporting tray portion for selectively transitioning said supporting tray portion between a vertical stowed position and said horizontal use position for a user in said second seat assembly, wherein said top surface of said supporting tray portion faces outwardly toward said second seat assembly when in said vertical stowed position, wherein at least a portion of said transitional mechanism is viewable in both said vertical stowed position and said horizontal use position, said transitional mechanism comprising;

a plurality of angled mounting brackets, each bracket comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first portion extending out horizontally from said supporting tray portion and mounted to said first seat assembly, said second portion pivotably coupled to said supporting tray portion and extending in a plane that is parallel to a side wall of said supporting tray portion, said transitional mechanism further comprising a protrusion and a channel to selectively provide a sliding orientation between said mounting brackets and said supporting tray portion, and wherein said transitional mechanism further comprises a locking mechanism to selectively retain said supporting tray portion in said horizontal use position.

2. The concession tray apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first portion is mounted to said first seat assembly using at least one of (i) a bolt, (ii) a screw, (iii) an adhesive, (iv) a rivet, (v) a nail, (vi) a clamp and (vii) a staple.

3. The concession tray apparatus of claim 1, wherein said top surface of said supporting tray portion comprises a substantially planar supporting surface having dimensions sufficient to support a plurality of concessions.

4. The concession tray apparatus of claim 3, further comprising advertising on said substantially planar supporting surface of said supporting tray portion to enable said advertising to be viewed in both said stowed position and in said use position.

5. The concession tray apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a beverage receptacle operatively connected to said supporting tray portion.

6. The concession tray apparatus of claim 5, wherein said beverage receptacle is integrally formed with said supporting tray portion.

7. The concession tray apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a beverage receptacle attached to a structural support portion of said first seat assembly and substantially adjacent said supporting tray portion.

8. The concession tray apparatus of claim 1, wherein said supporting tray portion comprises a retaining lip coupled to at least a portion of a perimeter thereof.

9. A concession tray apparatus comprising:

a supporting tray portion configured to selectively support concessions of a user when said supporting tray portion is in a horizontal use position, wherein said supporting tray portion comprises a top surface and a bottom surface; and

a transitional mechanism configured to be coupled to a first seat assembly and to said supporting tray portion for selectively transitioning said supporting tray portion between a vertical stowed position, which is substantially adjacent to a backrest portion of said first seat assembly, and said horizontal use position for a user located behind said first seat assembly, wherein said top surface of said supporting tray portion faces outwardly toward said user when in said vertical stowed position, said transitional mechanism comprising;

a plurality of angled mounting brackets, wherein each bracket comprises a first portion and a second portion, said first portion extending out horizontally from said supporting tray portion and is configured to be mounted to said first seat assembly, said second portion being pivotably coupled to said supporting tray portion and extending in a plane that is parallel to a side wall of said supporting tray portion, said transitional mechanism further comprising a protrusion and a channel to selectively provide a sliding orientation between said mounting brackets and said supporting tray, and wherein said transitional mechanism further comprises a locking mechanism to selectively retain said supporting tray portion in said horizontal use position.

10. The concession tray apparatus of claim 9, wherein said supporting tray portion comprises a retaining lip coupled to at least a portion of a perimeter thereof.

11. The concession tray apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a beverage receptacle operatively connected to said supporting tray portion.

12. The concession tray apparatus of claim 11, wherein said beverage receptacle is integrally formed with said supporting tray portion.

13. The concession tray apparatus of claim 9, further comprising advertising on at least a portion of said supporting tray portion to enable said advertising to be viewable in both said stowed position and said use position.

14. The concession tray apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first and second portions of said mounting bracket form an obtuse angle.

15. A concession tray apparatus comprising:

a supporting tray portion configured to be able to be selectively transitioned between a horizontal use position and a vertical stowed position, wherein said supporting tray portion is configured to selectively support concessions of a user when said supporting tray portion is in said horizontal use position, and wherein said supporting tray portion comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side walls; and

a transitional mechanism configured to be coupled to a first seat assembly and to said supporting tray portion for selectively transitioning said supporting tray portion between said vertical stowed position and said horizontal use position for a user positioned behind said first seat assembly, wherein said top surface of said supporting tray portion faces outwardly away from said first seat assembly when in said vertical stowed position, said transitional mechanism comprising;

an obtusely angled mounting bracket comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first portion extending out horizontally from said supporting tray portion and configured to be mounted to said first seat assembly, said second portion pivotably coupled to said supporting tray portion and extending in a plane that is parallel to one of said side walls of said supporting tray portion, said transitional mechanism further comprising a protrusion and a channel to selectively provide a sliding orientation between said mounting bracket and said supporting tray portion, and wherein said transitional mechanism further comprises a locking mechanism to selectively retain said supporting tray portion in said horiztontal use position.

16. The concession tray apparatus of claim 15, further comprising advertising on at least a portion of said top surface of said supporting tray portion to enable said advertising to be viewable in both said stowed position and said use position.